Secret pocket billfold



Aug. 6, 1946. 1-1.1. THOMAS SECRET POCKET BILLFOLD Filed Jan. 16, 1945HARRY TH /W Patented Aug. 6, 1 946 SECRET POCKET BILLFOLD ApplicationJanuary 16, 1945, Serial No. 573,031

This invention relates generally to pocket or personal articles andpertains particularly to certain improvements in wallets or billfolds.

-The primary object of the present invention 'is to provide in a walletor billfold, a novel secret its presence.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a pocket receptacleor wallet of the character described, a pocket having a fold down coveror flap, with a second pocket behind the first and having the opening ormouth leading thereinto covered by a portion of the flap or cover forthe first pocket in such a manner that even when the flap of the firstpocket is raised for access to the first pocket, the opening to andpresence of the second or secret pocket will be shielded from detection.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide in a secret pocketconstruction in association with an ordinary change pocket, a novelmanner of attaching the flap or cover for the change pocket whereby aportion of such flap or cover will depend into the change pocket andhide the opening to the secret pocket while appearing to be merelyexcess material of the change pocket cover flap.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing forming a part of the present invention, with theunderstanding, however, that minor changes may be made in the invention50 long as such changes do not depart materially from the salientfeatures of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l, is a view in perspective of a billfold constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2, is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, is a view in perspective of one end of the billfold, showingthe open change pocket and the secret pocket opening, a portion of thecover piece for such opening, being broken away.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-4 ofFigure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Figure1 an ordinary type of wallet or billfold such as is commonly carried bymen, this wallet being generally designated B.

The numeral designates the usual currency 2 Claims. (Cl. -35) pocket orcompartment which is formed by the back Wall H and the front wall l2,the latter wallin the present form of wallet being shown as of lessheight than the back wall. As is customary this wallet foldstransversely at the center at IS.

The numeral hi generally designates the usual auxiliary pocket or groupof pockets located upon the inner side of the inner wall l2. These formno part of the present invention.

At the opposite end of the wallet from the group of pockets M, is formeda card pocket IS, the wall l2 providing the back wall for such pocketand the front wall being provided by the leather body Hi which issecured to wall I2 along the top and bottom edges and across the outerend edge by the usual line of stitching H, the inner end edge of thiswall l6 being free of connection with the wall I 2 so as to provide anopening or mouth l8 leading into the card pocket.

The numeral [9 generally designates a change or coin pocket or pursewhich is secured against the front wall l6 of the card pocket I5.

In accordance with the present invention this change pocket has a backwall 20 which is of the same size as and completely covers the wall l6of the card pocket, against the face of which wall Hi the wall 21] lies.The wall 20 of the change pocket is stitched to the underlying wall l6of the card pocket, along all four edges and the space between thesewalls I6 and 20, provides the secret pocket which is designated 2|.

The front wall for the change pocket is designated 22 and, as shown,this front wall is of the same length as the wall 20 and has its loweredge parallel with the lower or bottom edges of the walls ll, l2, l6 and20. Such walls are all stitched together by the bottom line ofstitching, designated 23 and forming a continuation of the end line ofstitching IT. The front wall 22 of the change pocket is of less heightthan the back wall 20 and adjacent to each of its ends, the wall 22' haa fold 24 formed therein so that it can be moved outwardly to aconsiderable extent away from the wall 20 to provide an ample pocketspace for coins or other small articles.

The numeral 25 designates the cover or flap for the change pocket. Thisflap has a maximum width adjacent to one longitudinal edge, which isonly slightly less than the over-all Width of the change pocket at themouth. The part of the flap 25 which is of maximum width, is designated26 and this part of the flap is disposed just inside the mouth of'thechange pocket 22, and is 3 secured to the back wall 2B of the changepocket by the row of stitching 21.

As shown the row of stitching 21 is spaced slightly from the lowerlongitudinal edge 28 of the flap and the material of the flap, lyingbetween the stitching 21, which passes only through the flap and theunderlying back wall 20 of the change pocket, and the adjacent lower orinner edge 28, is free from connection with the wall 20 and affords acover piece 29 for the slit or opening 30 which is formed through thewall 20 just below the stitching line 21. This slit or opening 30provides the mouth leading into the secret pocket, This mouth iscompletely covered by the cover piece 29 as shown so that any oneopening the flap 25 and looking into the change pocket, would merelyassume that the cover piece forms an excess bit of the material of theflap 25 and has no utility.

When the flap 25 is closed down over the front side of the wall 22 itmay be secured in any suitable manner as, for example, by the use of theusual snap fastener which is generally designated 3|.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that there is providedin the present invention, a novel form of secret pocket to which accessmay be readily had but which is effectively concealed from view anddiscovery by any one who may examine the billiold and who is notfamiliar with the location of such pocket.

I claim:

1. In a pocket receptacle such as a billfold and the like, means forminga pocket having a flap cover, a back wall and a front wall, the backwall being secured throughout its perimeter to 4 a wall of the adjacentreceptacle, said flap being secured to said back wall to fold down overthe top edge of the front wall, the said back wall having a slot cuttherethrough below the top edge of said front wall to give access to thespace between said back wall and the wall of the receptacle to which theback wall is secured, and a flexible member lying within the pocket andsecured along a line lying above the slot to the back wall of the pocketand normally covering said slot.

2. In a pocket receptacle such as a. billIold and the like, suchbillfold having a pair of spaced walls forming a currency pocket, twosuperimposed walls of exact configuration and dimensions secured,together throughout their edges and secured against one of said pair ofwalls of the currency pocket along three of their four edges, a changepocket comprising an outer wall secured along bottom and end edges tothe outermost one of the superimposed walls, said outermost one of thesuperimposed walls forming a back wall for the change pocket, the saidouter wall of the change pocket being of materially less height than theback wall, a closure flap for the change pocket having a portionextending into the space between said outer wall and said back wall, theclosure flap being stitched to said back wall on a line spaced from thelower edge of the flap, and a slot cut through said back wallimmediately below the stitch line for the flap, the material of the flaplying below said stitch line forming a cover piece completely overlyingand shielding said slot, said slot giving access to the space betweenthe said superimposed walls. HARRY I. THOMAS.

